Statements by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action on the Cancún Agreement on climate change

President Barroso said: "The Cancun Agreement on climate change struck today represents an important step towards a comprehensive and legally binding framework for global climate action. We congratulate the Mexican presidency of the Cancùn climate conference on this success.

Europehas worked throughout the year to save the United Nations process to tackle climate change and the prospect of a global climate deal. The Cancún Agreement shows that the multilateral process can deliver.

The EU has set itself ambitious climate and energy targets for 2020 but now we are looking to the long term action. Next spring the European Commission will present a strategy for completing the transition to a low-carbon economy by 2050. This will stimulate fresh economic growth, job creation and innovation while strengthening the EU's energy security."

Commissioner Hedegaard added: "The international community took the first steps towards a global climate deal in Copenhagen a year ago. Today, with the Cancún Agreement, we have taken the next steps. We have strengthened the international climate regime with new institutions and new funds. Europe has succeeded in speaking with one voice.

However, the difficult negotiations in Cancún have shown that we have a long and challenging journey ahead of us to reach a legally binding global climate deal. All parties should now take domestic action to reduce or limit their emissions so that we can keep global warming below 2°C. Europe is willing to do its fair share of this global effort."